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The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus, has been officially reported from Venezuela. Guyana, which borders Venezuela, is the only other South American country to detect this insect. In the western hemisphere, M. hirsutus is already widespread throughout the Caribbean basin (see the news story from 1/30/01 for complete distribution). The pink hibiscus mealybug is a highly polyphagous pest, though it does show some preference for plants in the families Malvaceae, Leguminosae and Moraceae, with Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (China rose) being a common, favored host.